Will you remember me affectionately to Prince Odoyewski, and give a friendly shake hand [Written in English by Liszt] from me to Mr. Martynoff. As for our dear Tartar, [The composer Alexander Seroff] tell him how much I am attached to him; he will be all the more agreeably persuaded of this if you tell him. Ask him also to write to me after your first concert, for I would not risk offending your modesty so far as to beg you to send me an exact account of your undoubted successes. But I don't intend on that account to let you stand still as regards letter-writing, and you will give me great pleasure if, for example, you will continue your history of the musical prowess of Rubinstein (that you have begun so well).
You know that I am truly interested in what he is doing, considering that he has all that is wanting to compose good and beautiful things, provided that he does not persist in writing straight off too hurriedly, and guards a little against excess in the very exercise of these grand qualities.
The "Ocean" of which Rubinstein has sung might serve as his model in this; he knows how to restrain his waves in their liberty and power—and I hope Rubinstein would not be offended by the comparison!—Let me know then about his artistic actions and attitudes, of which, I presume, he will have every occasion to be satisfied and proud. Our little Weymar has remained, as usual, pretty tame since you left; but in a week's time we shall be celebrating here the centenary of Schiller's birth with all the enthusiasm of which we are susceptible (which is not saying much).
On the 9th November the music that I have composed for Halm's Festival-play, "A Hundred Years Ago," will be given at the theater, and Jena has put on its festival programme my chorus "An die Kuenstler," which will terminate the ceremony of the 11th (Friday next).
In addition you will find in the Schiller number of the Leipzig Illustrirte Zeitung, which will appear on the 12th November, a Festival song "im Volkston" [In the style of a folk-song] of my composition. Do not be shocked at the extreme simplicity of this song; it was not the occasion to make a display of musical knowledge—but simply to write forty bars or so which could be quite easily sung and remembered by tutti quanti. In order to do this I had to dress my Muse in a blouse, or, if you prefer a more German comparison, "ich habe der Dame eine bayrische Joppe angezogen!" ["I have dressed the lady in a Bavarian jacket.">[
How are you getting on with your truly Samsonic Variations—and with your Fugue "Martha"? Don't make too great a martyr of yourself over it, and reserve for yourself also the better part…that of Mary. [She had written a fugue on the musical letters of the names Martha and Maria [Mary]—the names of her friends, the sisters Von Sabinin.]
As I have mentioned this name I will tell you that Princess Marie
Hohenlohe will spend her winter in Vienna.
I, for my part, shall not stir from the Altenburg, where I am reckoning on finishing my Elizabeth, and on living more and more as a recluse—indeed, even a little like a bear—but not in the style of those estimable citizens of the woods, whom the impresarii of small pleasures degrade by making them dance in the market-places to the sound of their flutes and drums! I shall rather choose a model ideal of a bear—be sure of that—and the flutes and drums which might lead me into the slightest future temptation of cutting capers have still to be invented.
Will you be so good, dear Mademoiselle Inga, as to present my very affectionate respects to Madame, your mother, as well as my best remembrances and compliments to la Sagesse Olivia—[Liszt's name for the sister of Ingeborg Stark] and believe me invariably
Your very devoted